Now that you have your My Aged Care Home Care Package subsidy, you have choice and flexibility in the way it is used to provide the aged care services and support that is right for you. Because everyone has different needs and wants, the way in which a My Aged Care Home Care Package subsidy is spent will vary greatly from person to person.
What Support & Services are there?
There are many supports and services you can use your My Aged Care Home Care Package for
such as:
- Cleaning, laundry, and meal preparation
- Garden and home maintenance
- Transport to appointments or shopping
- Showering and dressing
- Access to allied health services such as physiotherapy, massage therapy and podiatry
- Referrals to other services in the community like exercise groups, hydrotherapy, and day programs
There really is no ‘right’ way to allocate your My Aged Care Home Care Package subsidy, but it is essential that your care program is custom-made to help you achieve your goals. At Home Care Assistance we can guide you through the process of utilising your Home Care Package subsidy efficiently to ensure your health, home and wellbeing needs are met, enabling you to live safely and independently at home while ageing in place.
Things You Need to Know
Time is of the essence. Once you have been assigned a My Aged Care Home Care Package, you are allocated a referral code to give to your selected Home Care provider. That referral code is only valid for 56 days. This means that it is best to start your research as soon as you receive your Home Care package approval.
Researching in home care and care for the elderly options for a loved one ageing in place can be overwhelming, not to mention challenging to decide what will be the best choice for your family. The relationship with your home care agency is an important one, and so, like any important decision in life, it is best to compare at least two to three home care providers and what they offer before making your selection.
For most families, in-home care is the best care for the elderly as your loved one can stay in the comfort of their own home and continue living like they are used to, ageing in place with the bonus of professional in-home care assistance.
Home Care Providers are Not All the Same
Choosing a Home Care provider for the first time can be tricky, and many people might assume that they are all the same. But this is not the case. When you want, or want to give your loved one the best aged care services at home, it is important to choose a reliable and experienced in-home care agency and consider things like:
- Are they a government approved provider of Home Care packages?
- Are Care Workers employed by the company directly or are they contractors who might come and go?
- What training do their care staff receive?
- What are the package management/administration fees?
- Do they charge an exit fee?
- Can you contact someone 24 hours 7 days a week if there is a problem or concern with care?
Our helpful Choosing a Home Care Agency checklist can be a great tool to use to ensure you are finding the right home care solution for your or your loved one ageing in place.
At Home Care Assistance, our expertise in providing the optimum in-home care experience for older adults and our dedicated and highly trained Care Workers have made us a global leader in the in-home care sector. We look forward to being part of your families aged care journey. Call your local Home Care Assistance team today to get the most out of your Home Care Package.
